Circuit breaker



July 4, 1939.

C. V. DAME CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed Aug. 4, 1957 INSULATION e S wey f6. r 6 H 0 @V001 I@ Patented July 4, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIRCUIT BR-EAKER Charles Vance Dame, Lanark, Ill.

Application August 4,

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in circuit breakers.

One object of the invention is to provide a circuit breaker comprising a pair of contacts, each of which is movable in a direction opposite the direction of movement of the other, thus providing a quick make and break of the circuit and improved sparking for ignition purposes where the device is used in an ignition circuit of an internal combustion engine.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved circuit breaker having oppositeiy movable mutually cooperable contacts to provide quick make and break of the circuit and improved means for effecting the operation of the contacts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a circuit breaker comprising a pair of oppositely movable mutually cooperable contacts having electromagnetic means for operating the same 20 and constituting a unit which may be hermetical- 1y sealed in a container charged with an inert gas to reduce arcing and resultant pitting of the contacts or breaker points.

Where the improved circuit breaker is used in the ignition circuit of an internal combustion engine comprising a condenser which fattens the spark upon the break of the circuit by the circuit breaker, improved operation is effected due to the fact that the oppositely movable mutually cooperating contacts each is moved only one-half the distance of the gap, thus providing a quicker make and break than is the case in a conventional circuit breaker where one Contact only is moved the entire distance of the gap. The quicker break of the circuit accomplished with the improved device as is recognized provides fatter sparks at the spark plugs While the quicker make of the circuit enables the condenser to be more fully charged before the next succeeding break of the circuit, thereby permitting the use of a container of greater capacity to reduce the arcing at the breaker contacts. Since the breaker contacts of the present improvements each move but one-half the distance of the total gap, ob- 45 jectionable vibration or dancing of the contacts upon closing is avoided, notwithstanding the velocity of movement imparted thereto (as by a cam) from open to closed position may be greater than the movement of contacts of conventional circuit breakers. In the improved circuit breaker of the electromagnetic type above referred to, the tendency of the contacts to vibrate upon closing is inhibited magnetically.

In the accompanying drawing wherein certain 1937, Serial No. 157,235

(Cl. G- 98) embodiments of the improvements are shown for the purpose of illustration:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a cam operated circuit breaker in conjunction with which is shown a conventional ignition circuit;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the breaker shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detached circuit breaker arms;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of a circuit breaker having electro-magnetic means for effecting the breaking of the circuit;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic representation of the circuit breaker shown in Fig. 4 and illustrating the magnets thereof connected in a controlling circuit; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a hermetically sealed container which may be charged with an inert gas and housing the mechanism shown in Fig. 4.

The modification of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, comprises a pair of resilient arms I0 and H of conducting material, one end of each ci which is mounted upon an insulating stationary support l2 as by means of bolts or rivets'l3. The stationary inwardly directed ends of the spring arms lil and II are attached to conductors I4 and l5, by means of which the arms may be connected in a suitable ignition circuit of an internal combustion engine, such circuit being illustrated diagrammatically at i6 in Fig. 1.

The opposite ends of the arms l0 and Il may be shaped somewhat as shown in Fig. 1 to stiiTen the same and carry contacts l 7 and I8 which constitute the breaker points of the apparatus. One or both the contacts may be adjustable to provide the proper gap between the same when the arms have been moved to circuit breaking position. The resiliency of the arms tends to retain the contacts in closed position but may be swung apart the desired distance by any suitable mechanism. In Figs. l and 2, a cam i9 is shown for effecting the separation of the contacts for breaking the circuit, the cam being mounted on a shaft 2! which may be driven by any suitably timed mechanism such as from the timing shaft or other portion of an internal combustion engine where the circuit breaker is used for controlling the firing of the engine.

The arms l!! and H are provided with insulating cam followers 2l as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 which hear upon the cam` and spread the arms the desired distance in breaking the circuit. The

perspective of one of the arms i0 and Il are insulated one from the other at their stationary ends by any suitable means such as insulating washers 22 surrounding the bolts I3 as shown. In Fig. 1, the cam I9 is shown with the cam formations I9a each in contact with one of the insulating followers 2|, in which position the breaker points I1 and I8 are separated. The resiliency of the arms IU and II will move the points into circuit closing position as the cam rotates from the position illustrated. An advantage of this construction is that the oppositely movable mutually cooperable contacts each need be moved only one-half the distance of the gap therebetween, hence the break in the circuit is made more quickly than would be the case were but one of the contacts movable at the same velocity. As the followers 2| are freed from the cam formations |9a upon rotation of the cam from the position Shown in Fig. l, the make of the circuit will be established more quickly as will be seen, thus giving the condenser in the ignition circuit additional time for taking on its charge, thereby permitting the use of a larger capacity condenser and consequently improving the firing of the ignition system and a reduction in arcing tendency at the breaker points. This construction enables circuit conductors I4 and I5 to be connected to the circuit breaker at the stationary points of the latter, thus avoiding any constant flexing of a conductor and likelihood of interruption of the circuit by loosening or breakage of such conductor or conductors.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4, a pair of similar resilient arms 23 and 24 are provided each mounted upon a stationary insulating support 25 as above described and each having a stationary terminal end connected in the ignition circuit by conductors 25 and 21, respectively. lIhe forward portions of the arms carry breaker points or contacts 28 and 29. The extreme forward ends of the arms 23 and 24 form armatures 23aI and 24a which, when electromagnetically attracted in opposite directions, effect separation of the breaker points. The actuation of the arms to break the circuit may be effected by any suitable arrangement of magnets which are energized in suitably timed relation with respect to the ignition circuit of a vehicle, for example.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, the circuit breaker arms are enclosed in a casing 30 of insulating or other nonmagnetic material and hermetically sealed for retaining therein inert gas such as nitrogen for the purpose of reducing arcing at the breaker points 28 and 29. Positioned adjacent the armatures 23a and 24a in the side walls of the container 30 are iron discs 30a having threaded recesses for threadedly receiving the threaded ends of cores Bla-32a of magnets 3| and 32, respectively, which are located on the exterior of the container. The windings of the magnets 3| and 32 may be connected in acircuit in series for simultaneously attracting the armatures 23a- 24a for moving the breaker contacts 28 and 29 apart. Upon interruption of the magnetic circuit, the spring arms 23 and 24 will again move the contacts together to the position shown in Fig. 4.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, a double pole magnet 33 is shown disposed between the arms 23 and 24, the winding of which may be connected in a suitable circuit for effecting a more rapid make of the circuit alternately with the break thereof. The magnet 33 not only will increase the rapidity of the movement of the contacts to circuit making position but will inhibit the tendency of the contacts to vibrate or dance one upon the otherrupon mutual impact thereof.

In Fig. 5, a circuit is illustrated embodying the three magnets 3|, 32 and 33. As shown, a conductor 34 connects the windings of the two magnets while conductor 35 connects the winding of the magnet 33 with a battery 36 or other source for energizing current. Conductor 31 extends from the other terminal of the battery to a brush 38 which contacts a ring 39a of a commutator indicated generally by the numeral 39. The commutator is mounted upon a shaft 40 carrying a gear 4| which may be driven by a gear 42 which in turn is operated by a shaft 43 from any suitable portion of the internal combustion engine such as the timer shaft, for example. A conductor 44 connects the Winding of magnet 3| with a brush 45 which makes contact with the commutator bars during rotation of the cornmutator. It will thus be seen that as the commutator rotates in suitably timed firing relation, a surge of current will be sent from the battery 33 through the magnets 3| and 32, thus simultaneously moving the arms 23 and 24 apart to separate the contacts 28 and 29 to break the circuit. As the brush 45 contacts an insulated portion of the commutator, the magnetic circuit will be broken and the spring arms will move the contacts 2B and 29 together. The winding of the magnet 33 may be connected by a conductor 45 to the conductor 35 as shown and by means of a conductor 41 is connected to a brush 48 which also makes contact with the armature 39.

The circumferential spacing of the brush 48 with reference to the brush 45 is such that at the instant the circuit through the magnets 3| and 32 is broken by the brush 45, the circuit through the magnet 33 is established through the brush 48 whereby the magnet 33 augments the spring action of the arms 23 and 24 in moving the contacts 23 and 29 together. The attraction of the magnet 33 for the arms 23 and 24 which, of course, are of' magnetic material such as steel or of other conducting material provided with magnetic armatures, inhibits tendency of the contacts to vibrate or dance upon impact. If desired, the windings of the magnets 3| and 32 may be the secondaries of induction coils, current through the primaries of.which is controlled by any suitable means for effecting the timed energization of the magnets for effecting the separation of the breaker points. The circuit illustrated in the drawing is for illustrative purposes only.

For the purpose of limiting the separation of the contacts 28 and 29, adjustable studs 49 may be provided in the side walls of the insulating container. In the arrangement shown, themagnets 3l and 32 are on the exterior of the container while magnet 33 is on the interior thereof, the electrical connections to which and to the arms 23 and 24 such as the wires 25 and 21, respectively, pass through one or more openings in a wall of the container, which openings are, of course, suitably sealed where the container is charged with inert gas.

While certain embodiments of the improvements have been shown and described for the purpose of illustration, it will be seen that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A circuit breaker comprising a pair of arms of conducting material each stationarily mounted at one end and connected in a circuit at said ends, the other portions of said arms being movable, mutually cooperable contacts carried by the movable portions of said arms for opening and closing said circuit, electromagnetic means arranged to act on said arms for simultaneously moving the same in opposite directions for effecting the quick breaking of said circuit, and electromagnetic means arranged to act on said arms in timed relation with respect to said other magnetic means in a direction tending to move said arms and contacts to circuit closing position.

2. A circuit breaker comprising a pair o1 movable arms, mutually cooperating circuit closing contacts carried by said arms and movable thereby to circuit opening and circuit closing positions, electromagnetic means for moving said arms to circ-uit opening position, and electro-magnetic means for inhibiting vibration of said contacts upon the movement of the same to circuit closing position.

3. A circuit breaker comprising a pair of spring arms provided With circuit closing contacts, said arms tending to move the contacts to and retain the same in circuit closing position, electromagnetic means arranged to act on said arms for effecting the simultaneous movement of the contacts in opposite directions for opening a circuit, and means for inhibiting tendency of the contacts to vibrate upon mutual impact thereof under the closing action of the spring arms.

4. A circuit breaker comprising a pair of spring arms provided With circuit closing contacts, said arms tending to move the contacts to and retain the same in circuit closing position, electromagnetic means arranged to act on said arms for effecting the simultaneous movement of the contacts in opposite directions for opening a circuit, and electromagnetic means for inhibiting tendency of the contacts to vibrate upon mutual impact thereof under the closing action of the spring arms.

5. A circuit breaker comprising a pair of circuit make and break contacts, mo-vable arms upon which said contacts are mounted for moving the latter simultaneously in opposite directions to circuit make and break positions, la hermetically sealed container for said arms and contacts, and electromagnetic means for moving said arms and contact-s to circuit opening position, and means Within said container for inhibiting vibration of said contacts when moved to circuit closing position.

6. A circuit breaker comprising a pair of circuit make and break contacts, movable arms upon which said contacts are mounted for moving the latter simultaneously in opposite directions to circuit make and break positions, a hermetically sealed container for said arms and contacts, electromagnetic means located exteriorly of said container for moving said arms and contacts to circuit opening position, and electromagnetic means Within the containers for inhibiting vibration of the contacts when moved to circuit closing position.

CHARLES VANCE DAME. 

